Stamp and recorder



T. L. MAY

STAMP AND RECORDER Filed Oct. 50, 1935 March 12, 1935.

Patented Mar. 12, 1935 PATENT- o FI cE STAMP AND RECORDER L Thomas Leslie May,' Toronto, Ontario, Canada,

assignor to T. L. May- Ontario, Canada Corporation, Toronto,

Applicationoctober 30, 1933, Serial No. 695,827

9C1aims. (o1. 101 -90 Myinvention relates to a device for impressing dates and amounts received, and various other items, and at the same time recording the items in consecutive and chronological order on a strip of paper, adapted to roll up after eachstamping operation;

The device is adapted to set the particular amount and date and other data, for each stamping in a manner that after the impression has once been made it cannot be changed, therefore assuring a complete and'correct recording of the data An object of the device is to embody in a compact arrangment and suitable as a portable, pocket stamping and recording mechanism, suitable for collectors, and particularly for those who collect insurance premiums, where the date and amount and the identiy of the collector is an important factor.

A further object is to provide means for tabulating the details, bothas to date and the amount, whereby the details may be later checked over and computed.

The operating mechanism and therecording strip are contained Within a locked case, by which the strip upon which the record is made, may not be altered or gotten at without unlocking the case for removal. V 1

In the hereunto annexed drawingz- 1 Figure 1 is a per-s ective view of the device;

Figure 2 is a side'view with the case opened up showing the interior andmechanism;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through the device on'lines 3-3 Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a View of the type settingcylinder partially in section, and V Figure 5 is a detail view showing the arrangement of therecording paper and the rollers.

" Like letters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views. r

In the embodiment of the invention shown in thedrawing, the stamp consists of a casing A having two parts hinged together and having centrally of the bottom thereof, an opening J. Rotatably mounted in the upper part of this casing is a shaft C having a hand crank D, which for convenience, as in the ordinary surveyors tape, is formed of two hinged sections, the casing hav-' ing an opening therethrough for the handhold of the crank so as to permit the cranktoibe brought within substantially the dimensional limits of the casing.

Mounted Withinthe casing by means of slotted arms X, is a reciprocatory frame F, sa'idslotted arms permitting movement of this frame toward and fromthe bottom opening J in the casing, and the shaft C.- The frame is quickly raised by means of coiled springs T, one end of the springs engaging the shaft, C and the other end engaging projecting pins U carried by the opposite sides of the frame. The frame F, toward thetop thereof, is provided with anti-friction rollers N co-operating with which are cams 0, said cams having agradual rise and an abrupt fall.

As will be pointed out hereafter, the making of the impressions results from downward movement of theframe by these cams. This is a slow movement, and in order to avoid the continued engagement of the printing characters with the sheetsupon which impressions are to bemade, it was founddesirable to impart a rapid return movement to: the frame and to the printing characters immediately following the making. of the impression. iTo accomplish this, a' lost motion connection is provided between the shaft C andthe cams O, and supplementing this is a torsionspring S which, immediately upon the disengagement of the rise of the cam from the rollers N, imparts a quick continued move- 'ment of the cams'entirely independently of the movement of the shaft and in the same direction. This construction prevents any interference with the upward movement of the frame by the springs T, since the movement. of the cams is at a relatively greater speed than the movement of the rollers .N carried by the frame 1 The printing unit comprises a shaft 3 carried by the frame F. Upon this shaft are idly mounted, a plurality of printing wheels having about the periphery thereof, digits or other indicia by means of which various amounts, dates and other data may be impressed upon, first, the record sheet of a debtor and, second, upon a record strip which indicates to the creditorthe amount and date of collections from the debtor by a collector..

Each printing wheel has a tubular extension indicated at 4 in the drawing, Fig. 1. These tubes are of different diameters, the longest tube and the printing wheel carryingsame having a bearing upon the shaft 3, and the other tubes I and wheelsbearing successively upon the adjacent tubes. Thisarrangement of nested tubes permits turning of any printing wheel to set up a desired legend enirelyindependently of any of the other wheels. This is a manual operation and is accomplished by means of a setting wheel carried by each tubular extension and having a knurledor otherwise roughened rim. The vari- 5 indicia thereon corresponding with the printing.

Wheel with which this setting wheel is associated,

and these wheels are exposed through openings E in the side of the casing so that the user may, through such sight openings, determine what the matter being set up upon thezprihting wheels, is. The characters upon the wheels 2 are in reverse, those on the are not. I

It is obvious, since the characters to be printed must be presented toward the the bottom of the casing, that the corresponding characters upon the setting wheels'must be set 90 in are upon one side or the other of the corresponding printing character's "upon the printing wheels, so that when a given digit or other indicia appear at the opening E, the corresponding indicia on the printing wheel will be presented toward the opening J. v

The frame F also carries a'supply reel for a combined record and carbon strip V. In the machine of the drawings, this combined strip consists of two strips of ordinary carbon paper, each having one surface thereof only coated with carbon. The carbon surface of on'e strip engages the paper backingof theother strip, and the carbon surface of the second'strip is presented toward the opening J.

From the supply reel H' the combined carbon and record strip passes downwardly and about the various'prmting wheels, and upwardly to a rewind reel G, called a record reel in the specification, mounted toward the top of-the recipro catory frame F to which the end of the strip may be connected in any desired manner. This reel G carries a toothed wheel L acted upon by a spring detent M to prevent overrunning of the wheel when therewind reel is actuated. The rewind reel is actuatedonly upon upward movement of the frame F by the springs T when the toothed wheel L approaches the sleeve P, this sleeve carrying a tooth or pinW, the lineal movement of the toothed wheel relative to this pin causing turning movementof-the former.

In this manner, the. combined carbon and record strip is advanced following the making of each impression preparatory to the next iactuation of the machine. i Both reels G and H are removable frame by reason of the-slots K.

The two parts of the casing A may be locked in engaging relation to each otherby means of from the a key controlled locking mechanism indicated at B. This, however, is immaterial, since. any attempt to make erasures in the record after the impression is once made would surely be detected, and the destruction of any part of the record would immediately lead to detection. "Ihe lock B, therefore, when used, is merely an ad ditional and well known safety factor which may or may not be used, and when used is more for the purpose of discouraging tampering with the mechanisms of the machine than to prevent attempted alterations in the permanent-strip record.

In the use of the stamp, a. collector manually actuates the setting wheels to turnthe various printing wheels so as to setup, adiacent'the opening J, the characters necessary'to indicate the number of an account, the 'amountfpaid, the date and matter identifyingthe collector. When so setting thewheels, theframel. is held "setting wheels opening J at by the springs T so as to position the printing 7 wheels well above the opening J. When the wheels have been properly set, as indicated by' V the setting wheels, at the openings E, the col lector rests the bottom of the case A upon the book or record sheet of the debtor, holding it firmly in contact therewith, He then turns the" shaft C by means of the crankD. The initial turning'movement of the shaft C imparts no movement to the cams 0 because of movement ofthe pin Q in the slot R, which slot extends for approximately 120 in are about thesleeve P;- This initial movement of the shaft C does nothing beyond tensioning the torsion spring S. When the pin Q engages the end of the slot R,

the sleeve P is turned with the shaft C, causing.

the cams O to develop a downward pressure through the anti-friction rollers N upon the frame F, moving this frame downwardly until' the print ing wheels are projected through the opening J.

The "combined printing and record stripsheve movement with the frame F.

Upon the limit of the downward movement of the frame F by the cams O, twoimpressions are simultaneously made by the printing wheelsboth impressions being by means of the carbon strips interposed between the printing wheels and the opening J. One of these impressions is made upon the debtors record, and the other is made upon the paper backing of the carbon strip utilizedin making the impressionuponthe debtors strip.

When the rises of the cams 0 pass out often; gagement with the. rollers N, the springs T, which 7 are normally under tension and which tension has been increased by the downward movement of the frame, immediately imparta reverse or upward movement to the frame, thus disengaging the printing wheels from the record strip, and-the record strip from the record sheet. It isdesirable to have this a rapid movement, and to accomplish this, the lost motion or pin and slot connection.

between'the sleeve P and the shaft 0 is provided.

Immediately that the rises of the cam pass'from engagement with their co-operating means upon the frame F, resistance to turning movement of the sleeve is immediately relieved, so that-the tensioned torsion spring 'S'imparts a rapid movement v to the cams and to the sleeve until the end of the slot R, opposite to that engaged by the pin Qwhen turning the sleeve, stops such rotary movement of the sleeve. During this movement of thesleeve by the spring S, the shaft C may be havingmovement in the same direction asthat of the sleeve as a result of a continued hand turning of the crankl1 During downward movement of the frame, the

combined printing and record strip has'nomove- 7, ment in relation to the printing wheels, and this condition continues during the major, portion of the upward movement. Toward the end of ,this

upward movement, however, a. tooth of the wheel L engages the pinW, thus imparting a partial rotation to the rewind reel G to advance th'ecombined printing and record strip an amount vsuflicient to. secure a proper spacing on'the record strip of the next impression appearing thereon;

Since the impression has already'been made when the combined printing and record strip is thus advanced, it is immaterial whether the printing wheels turn with the movement 'of the strips since these wheels must be re-set before the making of the next impression. I In setting the various printing wheelsthe setting wheels should be turned downwardly'through theopenings E so as to utilize the detent pawl M in preventing a run of the record strip as a result of'the turning of any wheel. This, however, is highly improbable.

The slots K merely facilitate the removal of used combined printing and record strips from the machine, andthe substitution of fresh strips" therefor.

It is obvious that the impression made upon a debtors recordbook or sheet and'that made upon the record strip must be identical, since such impressions are made at the same time and by means of the same characters upon the printing wheels.

Various modifications may be made in the shape and arrangementof the parts without deviating from the nature of my'invention.

The main object of the arrangement is to embody the impressing a and method for actuating the carriage and parts to force it downwardly with sufficient pressure to make the carbon impression, and to instantly return it to a starting position after the impression has been made.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent i's:-' i i I 1. A stamp of 'the'character described, embodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory frame within said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame abovethe opening in said case, means whereby'said wheels may be independently adjusted, a supply reel for a plurality of combined record and duplicating strips, 2, rewind reel to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of said case, means actuated by said shaft and. operative upon said frame, whereby said frame maybe forced down-' wardly to project said printing wheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, means acting to raise said frame, and means actuating said rewind reel as said frame is raised.

2. A stamp of the character described, embodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a'reciprocatory frame within said case, a shaft adjacent the bottom of said frame, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in relation to said shaft, sleeves of different diameters carried by said printing wheels respectively, a setting wheel carried by each sleeve, said case having an opening through which access may be had to said setting wheels, a supply reel for a plurality of combined record and duplicating strips, a rewind reel to which said strips are adapted tobe connected after passing about said printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of said case, means actuated by said shaft and operative upon said frame, whereby said frame may be forced downwardly to project said printing wheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, means acting to raise said frame, and means actuating said rewind reel as said frame is raised.

3. A stamp of the character described, embodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory frame within said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means whereby said wheels may be independently adjusted, a supply reel for a plurality of combined record and duplicating strips, a rewind reel to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of said case, means nd recording combinations,

actuated by said shaft and operative upon said frame, whereby said frame may be forced'downwardly to project said printing wheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, springs acting between said shaft and said frame to raise said frame when it is disengaged by said last named means, and means actuatingsaid rewind reel as said frame is raised. 7 v

i. A stamp of the character, described, em-

' bodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory frame within said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means whereby said wheels may bemore-- pendently adjusted, a supply reel for a plurality of combined record and duplicating strips, a rewind reel to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of said case, a sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a lost motion connection between said shaft and said sleeve whereby movement may be imparted to said sleeve independently of saidshaft, a torsion spring operative upon said sleeve, a plurality of cams carried by said sleeve and operative upon said frame, whereby said frame may be forced downwardly to project said printing wheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, means acting to raise saidframe, and means actuating said rewind reel as said frame is raised;

5. A stamp of the character described, ern bodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciproeatory frame within said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means whereby said wheels may be independently adjusted, a supply reel for a-plurality of combined record 'and'duplicating strips, a rewind reel to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of saidcase, a sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a lost motion connection between said' shaft and said sleeve whereby movement may be imparted to said sleeve independently of said shaft, a torsion spring operative uponv said sleeve, a plurality of cams carried by said sleeve and operative upon said frame, whereby said frame may be forced downwardly to project said printing wheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, springs acting between said shaft and said frame to raise said frame when it is disengaged by said last named means, and means actuating said rewind reel as said frame is raised.

6. A stamp of the character described, embodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory frame within said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means whereby said wheels may be independently adjusted, a supply reel for a plurality of combined record and duplicating strips, a rewind reel to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly, of said case, a sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a lost motion connection between said shaft and said sleeve whereby movement may be imparted to said sleeve independently of said shaft, a torsion spring operative upon said sleeve, anti-friction rollers carried by said frame, cams carried by said sleeve and operative upon said rollers respectively,

whereby said frame may be forced downwardly to project said printingwheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, springs acting 'betweensaid shaft and said frame to raise said frame when it is disengaged by said last named means, and means actuating said rewind reel as said frame-is raised.

7. A stamp of the character-described, embodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory framewithin said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means whereby said wheels may be independently adjusted, a supply reel fora, plurality of combined record and duplicating strips rotatably mounted in said frame above said'printing wheels, a rewind reel mounted in said frame above said supply reel-to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said-printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of said case, means actuated by said shaft and operative upon said frame, whereby said frame may be forced downwardly to project I said printing wheels through the opening in the bottom of said case, means acting to raise said frame, a toothed wheel carried by said rewind reel,-and a member carried by the means actuated by said shaft and operative upon said frame co-operating with said wheel, whereby with upward movement of said frame said rewind reel willbe actuated to advance said strips.

8. A stamp of the character described, embodying therein a case having an opening through the bottom thereof, a reciprocatory frame within said case, a plurality of printing wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means wherebysaid wheels may beindependently adjusted, a supply reel for a plurality of combined record and duplicating stripsrotatably mounted in said frame above said printing wheels, a rewind reel mounted in said frame above said supply reel to which said strips are adapted to be connected after passing about said-printing wheels, a shaft rotatably mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of said case, a sleeve mounted upon said shaft, a lost motion connection between said shaft and said sleeve whereby movement may be imparted to said sleeve independently ofsaid shaft, a torsion spring operative upon said sleeve, a plurality of cams care ried by said sleeve and operative upon said frame,

whereby said frame may beforceddownwardly to project said printing wheels throughthegopening in the bottom of said case, springs acting between said shaft andrsaid frame to raise said frame when it isdisengaged means, a toothed wheel carried by said rewind reel, and a member carried bythe means actuated by said shaft and operativeupon said frame co-operating with said wheel, wherebyswithupward movement-of said frame said-rewind reel will be actuated to advancesaidstrips. y

9; A stamp of the character described, embodying therein acase having an opening through the bottom thereoLa reciprocatory frame within'said case, a plurality of printing.;wheels rotatably mounted in said frame above the opening in said case, means whereby saidwheels may be independently adjusted, a supply reelr for a'plurality of combined record and duplicating strips r'otatably mounted in said frame above said printing wheels, a rewind reel mounted in said frame above by said last-named said supply reel towhich said strips are adapted to be connectedraf ter passing about said-printing wheels,'a shaft rotatably-mounted in, and carrying a crank exposed exteriorly of I said case, a sleeve mountedupon saidshaft, a lost motion connection between said shaft andsaidsleeve whereby movement maybe imparted to said sleeve in-.

dependently of said shaft-a torsion spring operative upon said sleeve, anti-friction rollers carried by said frame, camscarried .by saidsleeve and operative upon said rollers respectively, whereby said frame may be forced downwardly-to project said printing wheels through theopening in the bottom of said case, springs acting between said shaft and said frame to raise said frame'whenit is disengaged by said last named means, a toothed wheel carried by saidrewind reel, and a member carried by the means actuated-by said shaft and operative'upon saidframe co-operating with said wheel, whereby with upward movement of said frame saidrewind reel will be actuated to advance,

said strips. Y l I a THOMAS LESLIE MAY. I 

